Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:09:20 GMT
From: "tedmack@juno.com" <tedmack@juno.com>
Subject: The Vanderkill Legacy  chapter 3

Please do not read this if you are not supposed to be here. Thank you

			   The Vanderkill Legacy
			      by Ted Macklen
				chapter   3

The morning sun was barely visible in the eastern sky as little Sammy
opened his eyes. He did not know where he was but he did know that he was
in a warm and comfortable bed. He was scared at first until he noticed his
brother sleeping beside him. Looking around he noticed a stocking hanging
from the bed post. He also saw another stocking next to Danny. He looked at
the stocking on his side of the bed and it had a label attached to it.
Sammy could not read very well but Ronny had been teaching him and his
brother. He looked at the label and could make out an "s" and an "a." He
knew that was the beginning of his name. Then it dawned on him and a smile
lit up his face. Saint Nicholas had come just like Ronny said he would. He
took down the stocking and excitedly grabbed a small box which he ripped
open. THERE IT WAS! A tin whistle! He lovingly held it in his hand. It was
shinier and brighter than the one he had seen in the store window. What he
didn't know was that James could not find a tin whistle so he had gotten a
silver one instead. Little Sammy wanted to blow the whistle very badly but
he was afraid that he would wake up Danny. Could this be Heaven. Would he
see his Momma? He found an apple in the stocking. Suddenly he felt hungry
and he bit into it. It was then Danny started to come awake. Sammy could
hold himself no longer.

"Look, Danny! Saint Nicholas did come! There's a stocking for you too!"

"Good morning sprite. Merry Christmas."

"Where are we Danny? It seems so nice here."

"Well Sammy, this is Ronny's house."

"Ronny has a house?"

"Would you believe that idiot was running around on the streets when he had
a home to go to all along. This is his father's house and his daddy came
and got us last night and brought us here. Now you be a good boy and maybe
he'll let us stay tomorrow too."

Just then the door to the room opened and Ronny came in.

"Hello boys, Merry Christmas!" he said.

Soon Ronny had his friends dressed. Danny was in some of Ronny's old
clothes but since Sammy did not fit into anything he had the small tot had
to wear his dirty clothes from the streets. Next Ronny led them to the
dining room. On the way they passed the best parlor with its door closed
and a sign that said "Do not enter." on it. In the dining room Mary pulled
Sammy into a hug and then proceeded to hug the other twp boys as well.

"Sammy, this is Mary. She took care of you last night. "

"And a sweet little angel you were my boy. I hope you lads washed your
hands. Patrick and May Martha should be here with their father soon and
then we can all have breakfast. I didn't tell Patrick you were home
Ronny. It will be a surprise."

Harry and James came in followed shortly after by Mary's husband Sean and
their two children. Patrick saw Ronny and his eyes lit up. He came running
over to meet him.

"Ronny, you're home! Where have you been. We've been looking all over for
you. I thought I saw you once when we were looking for you downtown but you
were gone before we got there."

"You were out looking for me?"

"Of course we were. We all were. We spent almost every Saturday and free
day out looking for you. We were afraid something happened to you, but now
you're home."

"You were all looking for me?" Ronny asked. Everyone nodded their
head. "I'm sorry. I was such a fool. Please forgive me?"

 After a big breakfast Harry led everyone across the hall to the closed
door. Then he turned around, picked Sammy up and told him, "Since you are
the smallest you get to open the door."

Sammy opened the door and let out a gasp. There was a huge Christmas tree
surrounded by presents. Most of the gifts were wrapped but there in plain
sight were five sleds of varying sizes. Danny and Sammy were surprised to
see that two of the sleds had their names on them.  Harry then had Ronny
hand out the wrapped gifts. To the kids there seemed to be so many. Little
Sammy was sure now that he had died and gone to Heaven. He received so many
toys! And then at last Ronny took an envelope off the tree and said to
Danny, "This is for you and your brother from Saint Nicholas"

Danny looked at the envelope and said, "But I can't read it. Can you read
it to us."

"Sure," said Ronny opening the envelope. " It says- Dear Daniel and Samuel
Murphy. You are my best friends and my father wants us to be brothers. We
want you to come and live with us and be part of our family. We hope you
will stay and live here from now on. Merry Christmas from your brother
Ronny."

There was a moment of silence. Then all of a sudden Danny and Sammy were in
Harry's arms and Ronny joined them in a four way hug. Meanwhile the Clancy
clan looked on. They were happy for the boys but so unsure about their own
future.After the pandemonium died down harry pulled another envelope out of
his pocket and handed it to James. "This is for all you've done for us. It
isn't as much as I would have liked but it is the best I could do- since
you control the funds." The envelope contained cash. James protested
wondering where the money had come from but he was over ruled. Then Harry
told Ronny to get the last envelope from behind the tree. Ronny looked at
it and then handed the heavy envelope to Sean and Mary. When they opened it
they found a key inside and the following instructions: "Follow the string
outside the front door." So they all went to the front door and sure enough
there was a string. They followed the string as it went around the
house. Some of them were slipping and sliding in the snow and the children
did not even seem to notice at first how cold it was. At last they came to
the rear of the house and there was a Christmas wreath on the door. There
was also a sign on the Door that said "Clancy" on it. Sean took the key and
opened the door. Mary gasped as where there used to just be an unused
storage area there now was a sitting room fully furnished. On one table
there was a small Christmas tree. Patrick and Mary Martha rushed in and
found the bedrooms. Mary Martha came out calling, " Mommy, Daddy look. Even
Patrick and I have our own room." But that was not all. There were two more
envelopes on the tree. One was for Patrick telling him he had a full
scholarship to the Saint Patrick's Cathedral School for boys and one
awarding a scholarship for Mary Martha to the Cathedral school for
girls. Sean who had not been able to work for months dues to an industrial
accident was over come.

"How can I ever repay you?" He asked Harry.

"Don't worry about it." Harry responded. " You can work here as our
caretaker and Patrick can help you when he is not in school.You and your
family can eat with us upstairs."

With that they all traipsed back up to the house. Soon the children were
out using their new sleds and the adults were relaxing. At one point Ronny
came running in the house and finding Harry sitting alone in the front
parlor he closed the door and went leaping onto Harry's lap and kissed him
full on the lips. Soon their tongues were playing tonsil hockey. After they
broke apart Ronny said. "I love you!" and jumped off his father's lap and
ran back out side. It had been a full day but more was yet to come. At two
o'clock everyone sat down for Christmas Dinner. After they all said grace
the door bell rang. Harry looked at James as if to say "What now." James
said, "I will get that." he got up and went out into the hallway to answer
the door. He was gone for some time and Harry was beginning to worry when
James returned and said that something has come up and would Harry join him
in the hall. When Harry got to the hallway he was surprised to see two
persons he had not seen in over ten years and who he had not ever expected
to see again.

"As I live and breath, Culver and Drin. What brings my father's butler and
footman over here on Christmas day.

"We are so sorry to bother you sir but I am afraid that we are the bearers
of sad tidings. You see sir, your father passed away this morning and we
thought that you should know. I know that the two of you were not on the
best of terms but there are decisions that must be made and only you can
make them."

"Well, since my father disinherited me I don't see where I fit in here."

"You see sir when your father passed on it seems that the only copy of his
will was "accidentally" tossed in the fire and a big fire it was too,
wasn't it Drin."

"Oh, yes, a rather big fire. I lit it myself."

"Anyway it turns out that your father actually was not in complete control
of the whole estate. The "Commodore" your grandfather actually left most of
the estate to you and your father only held it in trust. You see sir we
were all rather upset with the way your father treated you. Anyway it is
all yours now." Smiling he added, "We have seen to that.  Drin and I have
brought you some cash from the safe as we thought you could use it. If
there is anything else we can do for you just let us know. "

"Thank you. I now have three children and need to get some decent clothing
for them if that is possible on Christmas Day. Also if you could make
reservations for dinner for us at Delmonico's I would appreciate it. Oh,
yes one more thing. What about the farm up at New Point?"

"I will see to the reservations." Culver said. " As to the farm no one has
been there for years. I will check into it."

"All right. If the private train car is still working arrange to have it
hooked up tomorrow afternoon and we will go upstate to see the farm
ourselves. I am sorry about my father. Now I am sure you want to get back
to your families. Merry Christmas to you both. Send a Coach over here at
about six o'clock."

Harry and James then went back into the dining room to be met with
inquisitive glances regarding their long absence. Harry told everyone what
happened and was met by silence followed by a lot of questions. After
dinner he told Sean that he was in charge of the house and that Harry,
James and and the boys would be going out for a while. Ronny asked where
they were going and was told it was a surprise. He then called on James
expertise to find a place where he could get good clothes for the boys on
Christmas day. He also gave James money to pay back what was owed for the
Christmas presents. Then he told James to ask Mr. Corbett if he could spare
a few moments to talk. Suddenly there seemed so much to do and on a day
that nothing was usually done. What a Christmas.